Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

**** out of *****


The Foreigner (2017)

***1/2 out of *****

GATE/GATE II

Was suppose to be cleaning up my house and came across these DVD and that was the end of the cleaning

The Last Shark

A complex examination of reality verses insanity curiously modelled on JAWS. Wonderful stuff.

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Loved this remake 10/10 (now hides behind sofa) and hated the Original....0/10..Shock!! Horror!!

Legend of Hell

Sadly, a not particularly successful medieval fantasy from German God of Gore, Oalf Ittenbach. Fortunately not all the budget was spent on peasent smocks and pitchforks and Ittenbach unleashes gore, slaughter and mayhem every ten minutes or so. As always with Ittenbach, the gore is fantastic and worth watching just for its own sake.

I always return to Premutos when at a loose end.

Currently in the land beyond beyond with a squeaky genie, a bald magician and some fairly caucasian totty .... just around the corner lurking are Dynamation monsters. Yup tis ....
The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad (1958)

I like the attitude!

Sunday


Rabbit

A woman has visions of her missing twin sister being pursued by masked men through a forest before being captured at a strange diner. The visions become so powerful she collapses. Taking time out from her medical studies, she heads home to search for her sister as she's convinced that her twin is still alive.
Rabbit is a strange film. Compared by the festival to Jane Campion doing Martyrs. The journey into the outback is a strange almost Lynchian journey with strange characters that would not be out of place in something like fire walk with me. It also has shades of Ozploitation vampire picture thirst and shades of Gialli pictures. Its got a brilliant soundtrack and cinematography. Its not for all tastes but Its well worth giving it a chance.

Dave made a maze

Already seen it and reviewed it here. It stands up well to repeat viewing and its a lot of fun seeing it with an audience.

The call of Charlie

A couple set up a blind date for their friend with a work colleague who also happens to be a Lovecraftian deity. Its a nice little short that plays as a darkly funny comedy of manners.

M.F.A

Tackling the Thorny issue of campus rape. Clint Eastwoods daughter Francesca Eastwood plays an art student called Noelle who is raped at a party. The rape and her treatment after the assault triggers a deep rage in her and after accidentally killing her rapist and getting away with it she decides to go Ms.45 on Campus Rapists.
Its a somewhat flawed movie, especially the ending. However its still worth watching. Clint's daughter seems to have had a few acting tips from her dad and its almost unnerving at places. Its also an interesting look at the way colleges in America handle these sort of crimes as it feels like the film-makers have taken time to research the subject.

Nimmer

Baffling but beautiful short about a man whose wife is trapped on a lighthouse. He attaches loads of strings to birds so he can fly over to her.

Borley Rectory

A labour of love for its director. Made over 6 years with crowd funding. Its a mixture of animation, green screen and compositing that details the dark (and very real) history of one of Britain's most haunted houses and the people who passed through it. It's a genuinely unique and fascinating film that comes highly recommended.

Mohawk

Ted Geoghegan, director of a previous Grimmfest favourite we are still here delivers a brutal revenge western. The film presents a well researched and compassionate depiction of the Mohawk who are siding with the British in the war of 1812. Eamon Farron in a huge departure from his role as the evil scumbag Richard Horne in Twin peaks series 3 plays a British soldier in a mutually respectful three way relationship with a Mowhawk woman and a Brave. Apparently this was not uncommon in Mowhawk culture. After the Brave launches an attack on an American base the three are pursued by American Troops through Mohawk territory.
Along with Rabbit and 68 kill this is one of the best of the festival. Its a taut, tragic pursuit movie that refuses to default to the black hat/white hat model that a film like this might fall back on. The British are not the sneering redcoats that they are in junk like The patriot. The Mohawk are not portrayed as brutal savages and the Americans, who unusually here are the closest the film comes to villains are plausible characters with understandable motivations. Seriously, check this out.

Attack of the Adult babies.

Hugely divisive. Dominic Brunt's latest channels early Peter Jackson and Troma to deliver 90 minutes of astonishing bad taste. Two step kids and their mother/step mother have to head to a mansion to recover some files as their father / step-father is held hostage. At the mansion various rich men are roleplahying adult babies. However something seems odd, especially when they develop pig noses. The film then introduces aliens, masonic cults, lots of shit and gore as the film goes for a level of humour that might make fans of Chubby Browns UFO the movie blush. I'm not ashamed to say it made me chuckle. Then again I'm messed up. There were walk-outs however and my friend Adam who also goes to these festivals absolutely hated the film and refused to go to the afterparty because he thought he might start something with Brunt! (i'm not even kidding). I reckon some people here might get a kick out of this so long as you like deeply purile humour.

Blade runner

whats left to say? A film as important to modern science fiction cinema and modern cyberpunk as any I can think of, made as a big budget, high concept art movie. Also a terrible adaptation of the Phillip K Dick source material. A film where there's something like seven different cuts as the definitive one took 20 years to reach us. Its a film that tanked heavily at the box office but found its audience over time. Admittedly a mess in many ways yet manages to find moments of poetic beauty in-between the melancholy. Its one of my favourite Sci-fi pictures for its world building alone and in spite of its flaws it still works somehow.

Blade Runner 2049

While doing nothing original, Blade Runner 2049 still does it well enough to be recommended. Part of the problem is that since the original came out, the cyberpunk genre has been well mined, to the point that the stuff that might have felt more fresh back in the mid eighties now feels like you've seen it before.
However. It's still a great movie. Visually its one of the most jaw-dropping things I've seen and needs to be seen on the biggest screen you can see it on. Ryan Gosling is astonishing, but I'll say no more as you need to go into this blind. The attention to detail is amazing, with the technology looking very much like an advancement of the stuff in the first film to the point it feels a little retro. Atari and pan am still advertise and all the little details work to make the film feel like a genuine sequel and set in the same universe.
Overall its not perfect but I would happily recommend it.

Went to the cinema today to see Happy Death Day. Groundhog Day meets Scream in this entertaining tongue in cheek horror flick as a bitchy college girl finds herself endlessly reliving the same day over and over again - the day that, no matter what she does, always ends with her being brutally murdered by a mysterious masked killer. This is an unremarkable but still fun piece of fluff that almost feels like a throwback to the late 90s post-Scream run of 'yoof' horror flicks, and there are worse things to be, it has to be said. Not great but perfectly watchable. :ghostclap:

I had the good fortune of catching the great Japanese Ghost story anthology Kwaidan recently (a rare pleasure these days with a two year old daughter demanding every ounce of attention), and I couldn't help but wonder during the The Woman of the Snow episode if dark fantasy artist Michael Whelan was influenced by the film's set design ? The backdrop of the eye instantly reminded me of Whelan's 1982 painting Lovecraft's Nightmare, partly used for the cover of H.P. Lovecraft anthology The Tomb and Other Tales, and perhaps more famously known as the cover of Obituary's 1990 death metal classic Cause of Death...

Not sure what's wrong, Wes, but those images from Photobucket aren't showing for me – all I see is an image saying do need to increase your bandwidth.

It's the same for me - no pictures

And me.

I just presumed it was my PC being shit like when it refused to show JHarker's whisky photos.

I stopped using Photobucket ages ago because it was really temperamental, setting up an account with Imgur instead.

Whilst checking the trailers on Naked Massacre .... Games Of Survival (89) among them. Finally a film to rival The Rollerblade Seven for tedium haha.

Hmmm. Half the dialogue is in German. Hmmm. 4:3 and all. Checked your one yet Dem???

Yes the other day. It seemed okay. Not the greatest picture quality but it's never been restored or anything so didn't expect much. What i heard of the dialogue was all English. It does say on the box Italian and English soundtracks so hopefully it's fine.

Can you give me a specific time on the disc where it's German so i can have a look?

There's no trailers on the Italian disc either, D.

Was so annoyed Aenigma was chosen ahead of this, a superior if flawed film.

Ahem. It seems to have calmed down. Was mainly at the start, one of the nurses spoke exclusively in German etc. Tis the MVD US dvd I got. Which is the strange thing really ....

Egg all over my face courtesy of Photobucket ! Let me try that post again !

I had the good fortune of catching the great Japanese Ghost story anthology Kwaidan recently (a rare pleasure these days with a two year old daughter demanding every ounce of attention), and I couldn't help but wonder during the The Woman of the Snow episode if dark fantasy artist Michael Whelan was influenced by the film's set design ? The backdrop of the eye instantly reminded me of Whelan's 1982 painting Lovecraft's Nightmare, partly used for the cover of H.P. Lovecraft anthology The Tomb and Other Tales, and perhaps more famously known as the cover of Obituary's 1990 death metal classic Cause of Death...

Naked Massacre Part 3
 

Charming image there Wes.

Well.... the ST was far too high in the mix. Didn't notice this in the dvd-r which was faded but slightly clearer. Takes me back to when I got my first uncut (well....) THBTC. By gum it was dark now :lol:

Not long finished Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, watched in about 10 segments... Actually not a bad film, far superior to the terrible Gladiator and more fun than the dry history lecture that was Kingdom of Heaven. I couldn't help but feel a little sad that Scott chose to ape the beach landing from Saving Private Ryan, and a little silly it is too with flying arrows standing in for German machines guns. I must say I did miss the occult ambiance of HTV's Robin of Sherwood series but was glad I stayed the course for the end credits - easily the best part of the film, the titles overlaid against quite beautiful animation...

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Now, as a palate cleanser

The only other sax solo from the 80s worth caring about ....

The Long Good Friday (1980, John Mackenzie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=199EvXTKucc

A visually stunning and beautifully shot film, the ultra 4k version is absolutely stunning in picture detail and colour and is a really show case for your 4k TV and player. The film isn't without flaws but so much fun you soon forgot them and sit back and enjoy the ride. 8.5/10

How the hell do you forget Chris Tucker? Practically ruins the film. Screechy little bastard!

I try not to think of him and he's really not in it that much, but he is annoying as hell when you see him( the mute button was invented for him) but Gary Oldman more than makes up for him.

Always thought he was supposed to be annoying but more than likely just Tucker.

Originally the character was supposed to be played by Prince, if this is Tucker take on Prince he should of been sued for every penny he had.

The Public Enemy (1931)

Classic Hollywood crime drama starring James Cagney which tells how a young hoodlum took over the streets of New York during prohibition.

Pacy and fun with snappy quick fire dialogue from the irrepressible Cagney. Jean Harlow co-stars but isn't in it all that much. Whilst it's full of memorable and indeed shocking scenes it's one of those films with an unforgettable finale as the dead crime lord is returned to his family trussed and bandaged, mummy like, as his brother answers the door. Very grim.

You can't take your eyes off him when he's on the screen ....

THE GHOUL – Viewers of 'Blunder' from the mid-noughties may remember“The Baron! I'm Evil!”, though they may struggle to recognise Tom Meeten in 'The Ghoul'. He gives an excellent, haunted performance as a depressed undercover cop (or is he...) in this twisty psych thriller from Gareth Tunley. Reality constantly slips and identities blur in a curdled Brit-gloom atmosphere that roils like bad reefer smoke. Is the supernatural at work, or is this all about the unfolding of a tortured mind... who knows, 'The Ghoul's ineffable air of conspiracy gives nothing away. For fans of 'Memento', 'Time Crimes' and depressing UK TV dramas. “Jizz-face!”

SKINLESS – Microbudget body-disintegration horror that knowingly rips Cronenberg's 'The Fly'. It's about a scientist who develops a cure for cancer, only to find that, when he tests it on himself, his face drops off. Tortured relationship with colleague ensures availability of doomed romance sub-plot. I really liked 'Skinless'. The pacing isn't really very good and the cheapo aesthetics might put some off, but it's shamelessly ludicrous in everything from its over-blatant 'homage' through to the arbitrary nudity and the icky (and satisfyingly prosthetic) flesh melt gore. There's even room for some almost-hentai at the end. Veers towards laughs at points, but this isn't overdone... I would say it's tongue is firmly in its cheek, but then, it doesn't really have one... or a tongue, for that matter... wuh hah hah hah hah, I should be the Crypt Keeper or something. Anyway, recommended.

SUDDENLY IN THE DARK – From Mondo Macabro, reliable traders in forgotten overseas weirdness. 'Suddenly in the Dark' is a Korean horror film from around 1981, a rare commodity no doubt. It's about a woman whose intense suspicion of the servant her etymologist husband has brought into the familial home drives her to brink of sanity. Although again, we may be in the presence of the supernatural, as there's a creepy doll in the mix and people fall out of windows “as if pushed by a sinister force”. 'Suddenly in the Dark' didn't quite win me over, despite there being plenty in it to pique my interest – I'm a sucker for dolls, wonky camera angles and cheap psychedelic visuals (“just put that jam jar over the lens, that should do it”) and all of the above abound here. The slightly staid unfolding put a damper on things a little, and in some ways, pre the Bava'd up climax, there just wasn't enough horror, ominous build-up aside. Interesting, though, and definitely worth watching. Kudos again to MM.

Bedlam (1946)

Karloff returns with producer Lewton and director Mark Robson in this film telling of the downfall of the sadistic governor of St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum, a fictionalized version of Bethlehem Royal Hospital, also known as Bedlam.

Based on Hogath's painting A Rake's Progress which depicted goings on in Bedlam, this is one of Lewton's very best productions. Karloff's governor is similar in ways to his portrayal of the ruthless Grey in 45's The Body Snatcher - seemingly kind to those not in the know, but terrifying to those who cross him - as happens to lovely Anna Lee as she tries to put a stop to Karloff's macabre practices with the inmates of Bedlam and unwittingly is incarcerated herself.

Bedlam is a grim film even now. Some scenes are still truly disturbing, but thankfully Lee, whose not in the least bit insane, begins to pull the strings with the other inmates. The final scenes of the film are powerfully done and have echoes of Poe at times. Unlike most of Lewton's productions there are no unseen forces at work, the monsters are there for all to see in the case of Karloff, whilst much of the horror comes from his actions and the depiction of life inside London's most notorious of asylums rather than the power of suggestion.

Bedlam, over the years, has become one of my top three Val Lewton productions.

Highly recommended.

This one sounds great. I’ll have to have a look around for it.

And kudos to you sir.




Halloween (2007)

A reminding that not only can't you go home .... you wouldn't want to anyhow. Am dreading this new one. What did I really expect??
It's more obvious this time ..... the stench of the grave he robbed. Overblown where there was subtlety. Vulgarity where there was class. Have paused it at the part where it 'becomes' Halloween. I need to pee etc.
Am going to listen to the comm after. Should be illuminating on many levels.

STITCH FACE (2014) – Two grieving parents are struggling to cope with life without the young daughter, so go into the desert with friends and try something ritualistic to help her rest, and ease their depression. Unfortunately, this seems to conjure up demonic forces and the adults develop horrendous wounds which are even worse when they are inexplicably and painfully repaired with gruesome stitches.

THE WATERMEN (2011) – A trio of girls head into the middle of the Atlantic with a wealthy playboy Amanda in a fight for their lives with sadistic fishermen (the titular watermen). Some of this is ridiculously stupid, befitting a film with Jason Mewes in a major role, and some of it is actually quite tense. It's nothing special, but I can see myself watching it again next October.

KNOCK KNOCK (2008) – Members of a high school football team are brutally killed by someone in a mask leaving the message 'knock knock'; the police are useless, but some old man who enjoys whiskey and his own company is clearly the key to solving the puzzle. This is just about watchable with a fascinating appearance by Lou Ferrigno. It's nasty, but not as nasty as it should be, nor as sleazy or original.

RESURRECTION COUNTY (2008) – A group of twentysomethings travel through the titular locale into Enoch, a remote town. There, shit gets nasty and it is surprisingly downbeat. I guess this was riding the very end of the 'torture porn' wave because there is a lot of attention paid to brutalising and killing people who are lucky if they are two-dimensional, but by the ending I was surprised at how much I was rooting for them!

LOVE OBJECT (2003) – Kenneth, a socially inept office worker, finds out about somewhere that will make a lifelike love doll, so he contacts them and has one made and delivered to his apartment. Unfortunately, Udo Kier is the building manager, and anyone who knows anything goes nothing goes well when Udo Kier is around. In this case, the doll (which he names Nikki) seemingly becomes sentient, sending him to work with bondage straps on his wrists and the two have blazing arguments. After that, things get even worse when he begins a relationship with a co-worker, Lisa, who encourages to dress and style her hair to resemble Nikki, finds out about her latex lookalike.

SATAN'S LITTLE HELPER (2004) – A nine-year-old boy, Dougie, who is addicted to the titular video game, strikes up an unlikely friendship with someone he finds dragging a body around in town, thinking it is the incarnation of the main character in his favourite video game. There is a weird dynamic at play because Dougie is naïvely complicit in gruesome murders, which he thinks are fictional, so this seems to be trying to comment on the age of criminal responsibility, but I didn't watch it for social commentary. This could be why I enjoyed it because of the twisted relationship between a young boy and a shape shifting Demon.

MONSTER MAN (2004) – This felt like something which was an inspiration on the (superior) Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) with its mix of buddy comedy and extreme violence. The main male characters are an unlikely pairing of Adam, a shy virgin who wants to crash his ex-girlfriend's wedding so we can tell where he still loves her, and the extremely antisocial and insensitive Harley, who just likes annoying people. This kind of works and I liked Adam a lot more than I thought I would at the beginning, and Harley became less annoying as it went on. That was one bonus and the other was the Duel-inspired killer monster truck.

THE SLEEPER (2012) – I'm not sure whether this is supposed to be a homage/pastiche, the fact it's set in a sorority in 1981 with a killer targeting the sorority girls, means it has more than passing similarities to Black Christmas, A Stranger Calls, Halloween, and Scream. As such, most of it is devoid of tension because it is simply recycling plot devices from other, better, films.

THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW (1983) – The only film mentioned here which was not bought for £1 from Music Magpie and one which, despite having owned it for about a decade, I haven't seen in a very long time. This is a shame, because it is a very neatly constructed and influential piece of cinema, drawing on films like Les Diaboliques, Black Christmas and even The Exorcist (watch how the scene with Katherine exploring by candlelight echoes Chris McNeil in the attic). It's something which I watched with fairly low expectations, which it easily surpassed and has been given an excellent release from 88 Films, looking and sounding better than I expected and with an informative commentary by The Hysteria Continues, which I'm enjoying right now.

Love Object was a wee surprise indeed. And THOSR is always worth watching.

I was pleasantly surprised by Love Object, which is a very twisted little tale. The bits that stood out for me were when I expected something very violent to take place, and what happened instead was even more disturbing because of the psychological impact.

It's probably been a decade since I've seen The House on Sorority Row – the cropped full frame Boulevard Entertainment DVD – and it was like watching the film for the first time.

This is the best thing about revisiting some old films in these editions.

Definitely. There's a big difference between watching a DVD with a cropped/pan and scan picture and murky sound and the same thing with remastered sound and picture in the right aspect ratio.